Pursue
I
Samuel chapter 3:
PURSUE
3
“So
David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it
was
burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their
daughters, were taken captives.
4
Then
David and the people that were
with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power
to weep.
5
And
David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and
Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6
And
David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him,
because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his
sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD
his God.
7
And
David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee,
bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to
David.
8
And
David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop?
shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt
surely overtake them,
and without fail recover all.”
The
city of Ziklag
was
spoiled
by the Amalekites. David
arrives and observes the destruction and burning of the city. There
was an absence of any of the people of the city. Davids
army began to be upset and discouraged. Their people were being
carried away in captivity. Their city lay in shambles and was
burning. They began, as is common, to place blame. David, their
captain,
was the focus of their ravings. They had no thought of taking
recovery action. They were defeated because they lost sight of God’s
promises. On the other hand, David did not despair. Suffering the
onslaught of accusations, he turned to God in prayer and
supplication. (8
“And
David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop?
shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt
surely overtake them,
and without fail recover all”.
Only
four hundred soldiers were able to cross the river and fight. Tired,
worn from travel and weak, two hundred soldiers were left behind.
“Pursue”
rang in his ears. Gathering together all able bodied fighting men,
David obeyed God with all doubt left in the iPod
held by Abiathar the priest. David
“persues”
and overtakes
the Amalekites. He recovers what had been carried
away from Ziklag. Goods and people were all taken
back and made secure. Looking
ahead in this chapter we discover:
17
“And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of
the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred
young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.
19
And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great,
neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing
that they had taken to them: David recovered all.”
If,
when we come off a journey, we find our home,
possessions and family
in peace, and not laid waste, as David here found his, praise
the Lord for it was
He who kept them.
This
scene, however, is not always what we experience. David's
men murmured against him. Loosing
faith in God will focus your hopelessness upon some one of authority
as having failed in some way. Thus it was with these soldiers. David
did not succumb to their threats and accusations. He focused upon the
promises of God and consulted Him in prayer. Great
faith must expect such severe trials for
the Word states they will come.
But, observe, that David was brought thus low, only just before he
was raised to the throne. When things are at the worst with the
church and people of God, then they begin to mend, improve
and advance. David
placed
his trust
in the Lord his God. HE
PURSUED. His
men lost
their faith and hope. They threatened, cried and mourned their
loss. They
were bitter;
their own discontent and impatience added to the affliction and
misery. But David was
strong in faith and called upon God’s promises. He listened to
God’s reply and obeyed without doubt. His soldiers, on the other
hand
gave liberty to their passions and
wept and wailed in hopelessness. David knew the God who gives victory
to those who seek his face.
While
others
dispirited each other, he, by encouraging himself in God, kept his
spirit calm. Those who have taken the Lord for their God, may take
encouragement from him in the worst times. Know
God, know peace. Amen 10-17-2019 BLL
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